Mexican President Vicente Fox has announced the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the disappearance of left-wing activists during the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr Fox said all those suspected of human rights violations would face justice, and the victims and their relatives would receive compensation.

The move comes shortly after the release of a report by Mexico's human rights ombudsman which documents the alleged torture and disappearance of more than 250 people - rebels, students, farmers and social activists - at the hands of state officials.

Correspondents say the report was drawn up as part of an effort to shed light into one of Mexico's darkest periods in recent history.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service